National Lottery – Reaching Communities

They fund voluntary or community organisations projects that work to make positive changes in their community. By community this means people living in the same area, or people with similar interests or life experiences.

Their priorities are to fund projects that:

• support places, people or communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination
  and
• support people and communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives.

They can fund projects or organisations that will do at least one or two of their missions really well:

• Come together, through inclusive places, spaces and activities (either physical or virtual). Especially for communities where people are least able to come together.
• Help children and young people thrive, by developing positive social and emotional skills.
• Be healthier, by addressing health inequalities. And helping prevent poor health.
• Be environmentally sustainable. By engaging with climate issues and having a positive environmental impact. And improving access to quality natural spaces.

You can apply if you’re an organisation that serves communities in England and is a:

• constituted voluntary or community organisation
• registered, exempt or excepted charity
• charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)
• not-for-profit company limited by guarantee – you must be a registered charity or have a not-for-profit ‘asset lock’ clause in your articles of association
• community interest company (CIC)
• school
• statutory body (including local authorities, town, parish or community councils)
• community benefit society
• co-operative society – you must have a not-for-profit ‘asset lock’ clause in your society rules and also be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority
• group of organisations, as long as they’re led by an eligible organisation.

If you are an unincorporated group

It might be appropriate for you to become a company or other type of incorporated organisation. We suggest you look into this and think about how it might work for your organisation.

You need at least 2 board or committee members who are not related

Related can mean:

• related by marriage
• in a civil partnership with each other
• in a long-term relationship with each other
• related through a long-term partner
• living together at the same address
• related by blood.

All companies who apply must have at leasttwo directors who are not related in any of these ways. This also applies to companies that are also registered as charities.

Who cannot apply

They cannot accept applications from:

• individuals
• sole traders
• organisations based outside the UK
• anyone who’s applying for another organisation
• organisations that look to make profits and share these profits out privately – including companies limited by shares, organisations without the right asset locks, or organisations that can pay profits to directors or shareholders.
• organisations applying to more than one of their funds for the same project over the same period. This is because you cannot get duplicate funding for something they are already funding you to do. It is okay to apply to another programme if you’ve already had an unsuccessful decision though

£20,001 or more, for up to five years